The End of All Things
by cosmo-queen
Summary: The Ring reflects upon the coming of the end.
1. The Overcoming

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DISCLAIMER: Everything and anything Lord of the Rings related belongs to the biggest genius that ever lived, J.R.R Tolkien. Not me. 

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THE END OF ALL THINGS

The Overcoming

I can sense the end is near. He is struggling in his mind against me, but I know, and he knows that the end has come. He has no hope, no strength, no determination. All these qualities which, no doubt, he once possessed long ago, faded in our bitter mind-games of the night. How I rejoiced to see those qualities, which the noble fools of Middle-Earth thought could be used to destroy me, crumble into nothingness. But he no longer cares. I can sense that he wants the end to come quick, so that his struggle will finally be over. Coward. The end approaches, but I do not plan to dispose of him once it arrives.

I can sense his struggle is almost over. He cannot resist me. My power, my beauty, my promises. He desires them all. It seems to me that the only thing which is holding him back from claiming me for his own is his conscience. It reminds him of his sense of duty and why he set out to Mordor. I remind him that he is in my territory and he is to do what I command him to do. He struggles a bit more. I am not impatient, for I know he will listen to me, just as all others have done before him. Rather, I am amused. I have come to realise that the conscience is somewhat like me. It is a powerful weapon and holds considerable sway over the minds of people. But I am glad I myself was never given one. It wastes time and causes too much doubt.

I, on the other hand, am efficient. I do not plea or beg to do the right thing. There is no wrong or right as far as I'm concerned. There is power, and whatever stems from it is what is right. And so, when I stop teasing him and tell him that his time is up and he is to surrender to me, he does it. Without question. I have overpowered him. The impact has left him temporarily weakened whereas I feel energised, reborn almost. I radiate this energy to him, and delight as it pulsates through him. His shock turns to amazement and delight. I have exceeded his wildest expectations. 

An extra surge of energy hits me. But this energy I recognise to be from a different source. My Master has become aware of my rebirth, and is ecstatic. He tells me He has waited so long to be reunited with me, and cannot wait to have me in His grasp once more. He thanks me for being loyal to Him, for heeding His call and not abandoning Him to succumb to a second defeat. He laughs as He tells me of His plans for Middle-Earth, and the major role I will play in His eternity of suffering and death. I delight in His reaffirmation of my power and our continued faith in one another. But He fails to realise that another now challenges Him for ownership of me. Let the showdown begin. 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I said I was going to write some more LOTR fanfiction, so here it is :) The idea for this story was inspired by Track 16 on the ROTK soundtrack, "The End Of All Things", which I used for the title of this story. Great piece of music. As there are four distinctive parts to the song, there will be four parts to this story. In each, the Ring will reflect upon the coming of the "end". Please review, and tell me what you think of the idea. Greatly appreciated :) 

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	2. Manipulative Games

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THE END OF ALL THINGS

Manipulative Games

They struggle for me, taunting each other with claims of power and dominion. Each declares that they love me more than the other. It is all very amusing, and I am not surprised to find that the fight empowers me, as it is, ultimately, more power that I seek. They are both arrogant when they speak, and do so in a cold voice, but both of them also speak truths.

My Master of old laughs in the face of His younger and weaker threat, calling him a fool if he believes that I will abandon my Creator. Besides, He says, what would a Hobbit know of the lore and power that surrounds my life? My Master then reminds the Hobbit that a crucial fact is being forgotten - that He and I are one; that we are bound to each other, and if he will not return me of his own free will, then he will be killed, for "nothing will get in the way of the Dark Lord and His most prized possession", as my Master puts it.

Then, He sarcastically pleas for my safe return, and likens me to a child. Surely, He says, one would not wish to separate a baby from its parent. My Master really does have a wicked sense of humour, but I am no longer amused. I do not appreciate being called a possession; a baby. I am nothing short of His life-force. If it was not for my survival, then He would have been utterly defeated during the battle of the Last Alliance, being doomed to spend the rest of eternity as a shadow of malice. He would have been anything but a threat to the free people of Middle-Earth. I am angered, and decide to play my potential Masters against each other for a bit longer. I know He wants me, but I have kept Him alive for so long that now He can repay his debt by proving his desire.

I empower my new Master, the one who has nurtured me even when he set out to destroy me. I will show my Creator that He should not underestimate this Hobbit. For it is I who have given this small being the power to challenge the mightiest evil of the world, and if He laughs at the Hobbit, he is laughing at the strength of my power. Which I do not appreciate either. While no doubt it is true that I am born from my Master's will and malice, in our long separation, I have gained a mind of my own. 

No matter what anyone may think, but I delayed in finding Him immediately, and revelled in my freedom, and the ability to control other beings without His assistance. While it is my fate to seek for my Master in the end, since we are bound, dare I say it, I have nevertheless enjoyed all this time without Him, and do not relish the idea of being subservient again. I still wish to entice strangers. I would like to see what the Hobbit could do in my Master's stead. It would be most amusing to see this small creature ruling over all of Middle-Earth.

I allow him a vision of such a world, and he is left enticed also. With newfound strength, he sniggers and defies my Master, telling Him to look and see what He has been reduced to. All this time, he and I were lurking in the Dark Lord's notorious territory, beneath the very large Eye which he had been told was ever-observant. Yet, the Eye did not perceive that "his most prized possession" was back within His reach. Perhaps then, the Dark Lord should reconsider His claims of greatness and supremacy, for it is extremely clear that He is not as powerful as He likes to make Himself out to be. 

I am impressed. The Hobbit also has a good sense of humour. I am pleased with myself, for I have passed my Master's humour and wit onto my new one. My mood is lightened. Being under either's rule will not be bland. My desire to entice other beings fades.

I do not have time to contemplate any further manipulative games however, for I become aware of the oncoming presence of the Ringwraiths, my Master's most powerful servants, save myself. I realise then that my Master is enraged, and I can sense that it would be unwise to defy Him any further. The Hobbit has grown on me, but it is inevitable now that my Master will overpower him. For one, the Hobbit has not waited an age to reunite with me. It finally occurs to me the agony my Master must have endured on my behalf, and the realisation is both gratifying and humbling. Secondly, he has no-one to defend him anymore. He cannot hope to overthrow my Master by himself. Neither will I help him anymore.

For the time has come now to return to my Master. All previous anger I had felt towards Him is now gone, and I rejoice that we will be reunited after so long once more. My attachment to the Hobbit is fading fast, for he was only a tool to be used in a greater design. I will leave with him the comfort that he mastered me completely for a while, short as it was. Not many have done so. But my Master cannot and will not be denied now that He is on the verge of victory. I can sense it all. Victory. The Ringwraiths. The Hobbit being overpowered. 

Wait. It is not I who am overpowering him like this. Nor my Master or the Wraiths. It cannot be...Gollum. 


End file.
